New 2,000-seat, NHL-sized ice rink proposed for Metro Vancouver | Daily Hive

Example of an ice rink arena with approximately 2,000 spectator seats in a wrap-around, bowl-style configuration; artistic rendering of the 2023-built Silent Ice Centre in Nisku, Alberta. (VOSH Architecture & Design)

A major expansion of the Albion Fairgrounds’ arena complex in northeast Metro Vancouver is being proposed to address growing demand for ice sports, community recreation, and large-scale events in Maple Ridge.

The plan by the City of Maple Ridge calls for the construction of two new NHL-sized ice rinks adjacent to the existing arena building at the fairgrounds.

The new rinks will be built immediately to the south of the existing ice complex, directly connecting to the existing circulation areas and creating operational efficiencies while expanding together. The expansion will add approximately 114,000 sq. ft. of building floor area to the site, replacing an existing surface vehicle parking lot and open grassy areas.

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The existing complex — first built in 1998, and then expanded in 2003 — entails two NHL-sized ice rinks operated by Planet Ice, in partnership with the municipal government, and the Golden Ears Winter Club curling rink.

Planet Ice’s rinks at this location see high use with a 90 per cent utilization rate. Its primary rink of Cam Neely Arena has bench seating for 1,200 spectators, while a second rink can hold 125 spectators. The current facility is now approaching an age when major renewal is needed.

planet ice maple ridge albion fairgrounds

Location of Planet Ice at the Albion Fairgrounds, Maple Ridge. (Google Maps)

The existing 1,200-spectator capacity Cam Neely Arena in Planet Ice at the Albion Fairgrounds of Maple Ridge. (Planet Ice)

For the future expansion wing, one new arena will prioritize community use with 100 to 200 spectator seats, while the second new arena — becoming the new main arena of the entire complex — will support high-capacity sport and community events.

This new main arena will have seating for 2,000 spectators, configured as wrap-around, bowl-style seating for the efficient use of space while accommodating an indoor elevated running/walking track oval overlooking the ice — not entirely dissimilar to the indoor track at the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) newly-opened Recreation Centre North, which overlooks a large gymnasium. There will also be a media booth.

It would be the largest spectator-capacity arena constructed in the Lower Mainland since the late-2000s completions of the 7,500-seat Doug Mitchell Sports Centre at UBC for the 2010 Winter Olympics and the 7,000-seat Rogers Forum, previously known as Abbotsford Centre.

albion fairgrounds planet ice rink new expansion maple ridge

Proposed future expansion of the Albion Fairgrounds’ ice complex. (HCMA/City of Maple Ridge)

Elevated indoor walking/running loop above a gymnasium; Recreation Centre North at UBC Vancouver, as seen on June 25, 2025. (Kenneth Chan)

The expanded complex will also include a spacious lobby, skate shop, multipurpose rooms, and a concession area. Each rink will be supported by five team change rooms for a total of 10.

To support the site’s increased use, the strategy calls for expanded surface vehicle parking with 340 new paved stalls. Existing fairgrounds features would be adjusted and reconfigured, with the horse riding ring relocated to its original location to the southwest and the off-leash dog park moved further south, also to its original location.

The fairgrounds is already a well-established civic hub, hosting major annual events such as the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Country Fest, Caribbean Festival, and Ridge Meadows Home Show.

The expansion of the existing ice rink complex is seen as an operationally efficient way to also allow the city to host more large tournaments and special events.

While the venue’s design may be suitable for the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks’ long-sought practice facility, its location is far too distant from the team’s home ice at Rogers Arena, with the club publicly indicating last fall that any such facility would need to be within a 30-minute drive of downtown Vancouver.

Existing condition:

Existing condition of the Albion Fairgrounds’ ice complex. (HCMA/City of Maple Ridge)

Proposed future condition:

Proposed future expansion of the Albion Fairgrounds’ ice complex. (HCMA/City of Maple Ridge)

Prior to choosing the fairgrounds site, the municipal government also explored building the two new areas at Hammond Community Park, which is more centrally located in the city, near population and commercial centres and future higher-density residential growth areas, and near more existing and future public transit services.

However, earlier studies showed that Hammond Community Park — currently primarily occupied by two large baseball fields — simply does not have enough room for a new arena. Adding an arena there would create significant vehicle traffic and parking challenges, and more complex options — such as building arenas on top of one another or constructing underground parking — were deemed not practical due to the park’s space constraints. As a result, the fairgrounds was identified as the best location for the new arenas, while Hammond Community Park was identified as the preferred site for the new major aquatic and community centre project.

The fairgrounds are technically located on protected agricultural land, and the City has been working with the provincial government’s Agricultural Land Commission (ALC) to secure approval for expanded non-farm use. In 2023, the ALC conditionally approved a feasibility study for a single additional ice sheet on the west side of the existing facility. A revised application submitted in April 2025 — seeking approval for two additional ice sheets east of the current Planet Ice facility — was not approved.

In a decision in October 2025, the ALC cited concerns about drainage impacts on neighbouring private lands north of the fairgrounds and the broader drainage of the Albion Flats. The commission also noted that the revised proposal had a greater overall impact due to the addition of a fifth ice sheet and increased paved parking, compared with the earlier, conditionally approved four-ice-sheet concept.

City staff have since reviewed the ALC’s decision in detail, comparing it with previous rulings and examining ownership and responsibility for drainage infrastructure in the area. City staff are now recommending that additional site technical work and schematic design be advanced to address the concerns raised and to support a request for reconsideration.

Cloverdale Sport & Ice Complex Surrey. (City of Surrey)

Phase 1 of Port Coquitlam Community Centre reaching completion in August 2019. (City of Port Coquitlam)

Another revised application to the ALC for the construction of new arenas at the south side of the existing complex — the current proposal — is under review at the moment, with approval required before detailed design of the expansion can proceed.

“We remain confident that we can responsibly manage on-site stormwater and improve drainage within the Albion Flats area,” said Valoree Richmond, the director of facilities, parks, and properties for the City of Maple Ridge, in a statement.

“The City has a long history of stewardship at the Albion Fairgrounds site and continues to work collaboratively with regional and provincial agencies on long-term watershed management.”

In December 2025, Maple Ridge City Council approved the recommendations of the feasibility study completed by Vancouver-based architectural firm HCMA. This feasibility study outlined the highly preliminary design concept of not only the new ice rinks at the fairgrounds, but also the new aquatic and community centre at Hammond Community Park and the transformation of the 40-acre Maple Ridge Golf Course into a public park with baseball, soccer, and cricket fields, various sports courts, and other outdoor recreation uses.

Working with HCMA, the City intends to develop a funding strategy and further refine the preliminary design concepts of these three projects in the first half of 2026.

Rosemary Brown Recreation Centre in Burnaby. (Kenneth Chan)

HCMA has designed numerous major aquatic, community, and recreational facilities in Metro Vancouver, including the recently-completed complex of two NHL-sized ice rinks at Rosemary Brown Recreation Centre in Burnaby.

According to the City, the recent public consultations on the project showed strong support for all three projects.

“This will be the City’s largest investment ever in recreation infrastructure — a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build facilities with equity and inclusion in mind,” said Maple Ridge mayor Dan Ruimy.

“With Maple Ridge’s population expected to increase by approximately 40 per cent over the next 20 years and the community currently lagging behind regional averages for aquatics and arena facilities, these projects will meet modern standards for accessibility, energy efficiency, and environmental stewardship.”

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